Introduction

As part of its EXIST Transfer of Research funding programme, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) is promoting the development of a storage system that is based on innovative power electronics and a modular structure.

Publisher:
German Energy Solutions Initiative

Configuration of the m-Bee-technology as opposed to conventional battery storage.

Renewable energies such as wind and solar energy are the cornerstones of the future German energy supply systems. However, in order to have access to electricity even at night or when it is calm, researchers are in the process of developing ever more efficient and cost-effective storage systems. m-Bee GmbH has also committed itself to this goal and is currently working on a battery storage system with an innovative topology which is able to address several challenges at once.

The innovative development being funded under the EXIST Transfer of Research funding programme is based on small electronic power modules that are directly connected to the battery packs instead of central inverters. In contrast to conventional energy storage systems, m-Bee technology enables battery storage units to be assembled from several small-scale battery modules and, depending on the actual energy requirements, the storage unit can be expanded or reduced in size. At the same time, the potential performance of the m-Bee battery storage system is up to ten per cent higher than that of conventional systems, since a weak cell only affects the capacity of a single storage module. The storage units can therefore operate at maximum efficiency. In addition, the m-Bee circuit boards in the storage unit convert the high voltage into lower battery voltages. This not only results in lower installation and maintenance costs, but also reduces the safety risk for the maintenance staff.

In collaboration with the European Social Fund, the BMWi is sponsoring the four-member founding team from the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich, the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and the Technical University of Munich from 1 October 2018 to 31 March 2020.

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